The Radio Boys in the Thousand Islands eBook

“Oh, I think we ought to find a mooring place
at some island about a mile from here and try to get
a little sleep before daybreak,” Mr. Buckley
replied. “I’m sure Mr. Baker and I
need some brain rest after the slams we got on our
craniums. I’ve got the worst headache right
now that I ever had in my life.”

“So have I,” Mr. Baker chimed in.

“All right, let’s not discuss this affair
any more to-night,” Mr. Perry proposed.
“Boys, you may as well get your wits together
to arrange the most comfortable sleeping quarters
possible under the circumstances. I guess about
all our bedding is at the camp.”

The boys set about to do as suggested, but it was
not long before they realized that wits could do little
for them regarding rest convenience for the remainder
of the night. Presently they reported back the
following results to Mr. Perry:

One lounge in the cabin, bedding enough for one of
the berths and enough other bedding and articles of
clothing to be rolled into pillow substitutes for
half a dozen sleepers.

Presently Mr. Buckley, who had been keeping a sharp
lookout ahead in the moonlight, supplemented by the
strong headlight of the Catwhisker, pointed out what
seemed to be a suitable mooring place for the yacht
for the rest of the night, and a careful run-in was
made, accompanied by pole-soundings to prevent running
aground. The depth proved to be O.K., and in
a short time the yacht was tied up to a small tree
which leaned over almost far enough to dip some of
its branches into the water. As all were eager
to waste no time belonging to nature’s nocturnal
period of rest, the pillow substitutes were soon rolled
and the various sleeping quarters assigned according
to varying degrees of necessity. Because of their
“sand-bag headaches,” Mr. Baker and Mr.
Buckley were given the cabin lounge and the available
stateroom berth. Although they felt reasonably
safe against further intrusion in their new quarters,
nevertheless it was deemed wise to maintain a series
of one-hour watches, the first of which fell to Mr.
Perry by his own choice. Before the general retirement
of all but the first watch, an inspection was made
of the stateroom prison, and the boy prisoner was
found to be fast asleep on the floor with one arm
for a pillow.

Hal was given the last watch, beginning shortly before
the break of day. Bud who had preceded him, handed
over his slingshot together with a supply of stones
which he had brought in one of his pockets from Friday
Island. Hal accepted the catapult with profound
respect, expressing full confidence in his ability
to repel a formidable array of would-be boarders with
a weapon of such knock-out record.

After it was light enough for him to see what he was
doing, Hal occupied his time by connecting his radio
set for service on the yacht once more. When
this task was completed, he set about to prepare breakfast,
deciding that he would let the sleepers get another
hour’s rest, as he could prepare the morning
meal alone almost as quickly as with the aid of one
or two others. He had already learned the truth
of the housewife’s axiom that “two are
a crowd in a kitchen, and three are a throng.”